Fully qualified
Posted in Central America | By tim |
We are up early for our final day’s diving. This morning Al goes for breakfast which is great as I get to have a short lie in. We get to the boathouse late at 7:15am and most of the kit is already taken so we have to settle for what is left. There are 15 of us on the boat today doing various dives.
Out at the first dive site, two of the other students, a couple of girlies from Essex, manage to drop their weight belts in the water, which of course sink. Darren dives in to rescue them them and comes face to face with a big octopus down there.
We’re off on our deep dive first – the deepest we are allowed to go with our Open Water certificate – to 18 metres. I have some ear troubles on the way down but eventually get it and find it is exhilarating. At this depth it is difficult to see the surface clearly – only as a patch of light. In this and the second dive we see some great things – a moray eel, a huge red snapper, a baracuda and three eagle rays. Beautiful. It is magnificent always to be down there and sharing it.
I would love to take diving further – an advanced divers course at least, the only problem is that it costs double the price everywhere else and we don’t have time to stay and do it on Utila. I’d love to do a diving week off a boat for something. Back at school we just have a final 49 question test to do which we all pass with flying colours. We are now fully qualified Open Water Divers. We plan to do two more “fun dives” tomorrow if Al has the bottle. It’s a $30 US for two tanks (two dives) which is pretty good value.
Saturday 21st August
We are up early again at 6:30am to dive and Al looks grumpy this morning. I pacify him with cinnamon rolls and a cup of coffee from shop. Works a treat. Today we have to persuade one of the instructors to take us with them this morning since we discover (and rightly) that we are not allowed to go diving alone (even though we are qualified) for safety reasons. However Moniker and Fiona, two of the instructors who are out today are very willing to help us out, so we get our gear and go out with them.
Out on the boat the chit-chat of divers getting ready to dive is becoming familiar. The atmosphere is really friendly, like an extended family. Everyone has to trust everyone else in diving, the instructors are highly responsible for each of us and it shows. It is fun and now we have a little confidence and are well up for it. Today the location is new and we make a “backward roll” entry into the water. Al manages to lose his mask in the spin and before he can retrieve it, it is sinking towards the bottom, fast. I decide to go down for it – a slightly dubious decision – since it takes me a while to equalise my ears on the way. In fact it is painfully slow getting there and back. However, Al is grateful and I feel like a hero.
The rest of the dives are great – exploring a “coral garden” underwater and we see some great sights and colours. It is kind of sad to surface on the last dive. We’ve had a great experience and we would both love to do the advanced course if only we had more time here. Doug and Rich have already begun their advanced course.
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